From ‘Pranayam' to ‘Bandhej', schooltextbooks get a traditional makeover
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Under the environmental studies curriculum, class 4 students will be taught 12 postures of 'Surya Namaskar'. They will also learn about fairs, festivals, and arts of Rajasthan, such as the Pushkar fair, festivals like 'Gangaur', 'Hariyali Teej', and the desert festival. Artisanal works like blue pottery, 'Bandhej', and 'Leheriya' will also be taught.
In class 5, students will learn about different types of 'Pranayam' (breathing exercise), such as 'Bhastrika', 'Anulom Vilom', 'Kapalbharti', and 'Bhamri'.
They will be taught the state's dance forms such as 'Ghoomar' and 'Kalbeliya'. Local medicines and traditional treatment methods, like usage of 'neem', aloe vera, 'tulsi', 'amla', and 'ashwagandha', will also be taught.
The focus of the new curriculum is on competency-based learning, with time allocated, from 30 minutes to one hour, for each topic depending on the class and learning level of students, officials said.
"In all textbooks, the focus is on activity and experience-based learning, along with toy-based learning, to make education fun for students. Another priority is to include 21st century skills like logical reasoning, critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and creative development. Our aim is to develop an interest for education in the child, which will act as self motivation for them to attend classes in school," said a senior official of the Rajasthan State Council of Educational Research & Training (RSCERT).
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After every five chapters in the new textbooks, an activity-based learning assignment has been added. For example, to teach shapes such as circles or rectangles, poems have been cited in the mathematics textbook for class 2, explaining the shape with examples. A note for teachers in the chapter mentions that shapes being taught should be shown to students from the surroundings.
The chapters have been written in a theme-based manner and not by providing direct information, to make them engaging for students, officials said.
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